Jay Chandrasekhar
Encyclopedia
Jayanth Jambulingam "Jay" Chandrasekhar (Tamil
: ஜெய் சந்திரசேகர்; born April 9, 1968) is a Tamil
American
actor
, comedian
, writer
, and film director
with the comedy team Broken Lizard
.
, the son of physicians, who are both of India
n origin, originally from India
.
He attended high school at Lake Forest Academy
. He graduated from Colgate University
in New York
, where he was a part of the comedy troupe Charred Goosebeak with the other Lizards and a member of the Beta Theta Pi
fraternity.
Chandrasekhar is best known for directing and starring in Broken Lizard's films Super Troopers
, Club Dread
, and Beerfest
as well as the film version of The Dukes of Hazzard
. He also starred as the cab driver in the "Terror Taxi" skit from Jackass: Number Two
.
Jay is also the cousin of actor Sendhil Ramamurthy
, who played the role of Mohinder Suresh
in the NBC
drama Heroes
. Chandrasekhar and Ramamurthy both guest starred in a 2009 episode of Psych which Chandrasekhar also directed. Ramamurthy was also cast in Broken Lizard's newest film, The Slammin' Salmon
.
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
: ஜெய் சந்திரசேகர்; born April 9, 1968) is a Tamil
Tamil people
Tamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...
American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, and film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
with the comedy team Broken Lizard
Broken Lizard
Broken Lizard is an American comedy troupe, consisting of five friends, best known for its films, including Super Troopers and Beerfest. Its five members are Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter, and Erik Stolhanske. They collaborate on the screen-writing, acting and...
.
Life and career
Chandrasekhar was born in Chicago, IllinoisIllinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, the son of physicians, who are both of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n origin, originally from India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
He attended high school at Lake Forest Academy
Lake Forest Academy
Lake Forest Academy is a college preparatory boarding and day school for grades 9 through 12 located on the North Shore in Lake Forest, Illinois, United States. As of the 2008-2009 school year, students at Lake Forest Academy come from 20 states and 28 countries. The current Head of School is Dr....
. He graduated from Colgate University
Colgate University
Colgate University is a private liberal arts college in Hamilton, New York, USA. The school was founded in 1819 as a Baptist seminary and later became non-denominational. It is named for the Colgate family who greatly contributed to the university's endowment in the 19th century.Colgate has 52...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, where he was a part of the comedy troupe Charred Goosebeak with the other Lizards and a member of the Beta Theta Pi
Beta Theta Pi
Beta Theta Pi , often just called Beta, is a social collegiate fraternity that was founded in 1839 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, USA, where it is part of the Miami Triad which includes Phi Delta Theta and Sigma Chi. It has over 138 active chapters and colonies in the United States and Canada...
fraternity.
Chandrasekhar is best known for directing and starring in Broken Lizard's films Super Troopers
Super Troopers
Super Troopers is a 2001 crime-comedy film directed by Jay Chandrasekhar, written by and starring the Broken Lizard comedy group . Marisa Coughlan, Daniel von Bargen and Brian Cox co-star while Lynda Carter has a cameo appearance...
, Club Dread
Club Dread
Club Dread is a 2004 comedy horror film written by the comedy group Broken Lizard, who also created Super Troopers...
, and Beerfest
Beerfest
Beerfest is a 2006 beer-themed comedy film by the comedy group Broken Lizard. Along with the regular members of Broken Lizard, other actors who appear in the movie include Will Forte, M. C. Gainey, Cloris Leachman, Kendra C...
as well as the film version of The Dukes of Hazzard
The Dukes of Hazzard (film)
The Dukes of Hazzard is a 2005 comedy film based on the American television series of the same name. The film was directed by Jay Chandrasekhar and released on August 5, 2005 by Warner Bros. Pictures...
. He also starred as the cab driver in the "Terror Taxi" skit from Jackass: Number Two
Jackass: Number Two
Jackass Number Two is a 2006 American comedy film. It is the sequel to Jackass: The Movie , both based upon the MTV series Jackass. Like its predecessor and the original TV show, the film is a compilation of stunts, pranks and skits...
.
Jay is also the cousin of actor Sendhil Ramamurthy
Sendhil Ramamurthy
Sendhil Ramamurthy is an American actor. He is best known for the role as geneticist Mohinder Suresh in the NBC drama Heroes.-Personal life:...
, who played the role of Mohinder Suresh
Mohinder Suresh
Mohinder Suresh is a fictional character on the NBC drama Heroes, portrayed by Sendhil Ramamurthy. He is from Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India and is a genetics professor at the University of Madras who holds a PhD in parapsychology...
in the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
drama Heroes
Heroes (TV series)
Heroes is an American science fiction television drama series created by Tim Kring that appeared on NBC for four seasons from September 25, 2006 through February 8, 2010. The series tells the stories of ordinary people who discover superhuman abilities, and how these abilities take effect in the...
. Chandrasekhar and Ramamurthy both guest starred in a 2009 episode of Psych which Chandrasekhar also directed. Ramamurthy was also cast in Broken Lizard's newest film, The Slammin' Salmon
The Slammin' Salmon
The Slammin' Salmon is a 2009 film by Broken Lizard. The film is about the owner of a restaurant initiating a contest to see which of his waiters can earn the most money in a single night, with a prize of $10,000. The loser receives a "beat down" by the owner, Cleon Salmon, a former heavyweight boxer...
.
Movies
- Puddle CruiserPuddle CruiserPuddle Cruiser is a 1996 comedy film, the first full-length film created by the Broken Lizard comedy group. It was shown at the Sundance Film Festival. The movie was filmed entirely on the campus of Colgate University...
(1996) - Zach; director - Super TroopersSuper TroopersSuper Troopers is a 2001 crime-comedy film directed by Jay Chandrasekhar, written by and starring the Broken Lizard comedy group . Marisa Coughlan, Daniel von Bargen and Brian Cox co-star while Lynda Carter has a cameo appearance...
(2001) - Arcot "Thorny" Ramathorn; director - Club DreadClub DreadClub Dread is a 2004 comedy horror film written by the comedy group Broken Lizard, who also created Super Troopers...
(2004) - Putman; director - The Dukes of HazzardThe Dukes of Hazzard (film)The Dukes of Hazzard is a 2005 comedy film based on the American television series of the same name. The film was directed by Jay Chandrasekhar and released on August 5, 2005 by Warner Bros. Pictures...
(2005) - Campus Cop #1; director - BeerfestBeerfestBeerfest is a 2006 beer-themed comedy film by the comedy group Broken Lizard. Along with the regular members of Broken Lizard, other actors who appear in the movie include Will Forte, M. C. Gainey, Cloris Leachman, Kendra C...
(2006) - Barry Badrinath; director - Jackass Number Two (2006) - Himself / Terror Taxi
- Superbad (2007) - Party Guest
- I Love You, ManI Love You, ManI Love You, Man is a 2009 American comedy film originally titled Let's be Friends and written by Larry Levin before John Hamburg rewrote and directed the film...
(2009) - Party Guest - The Slammin' SalmonThe Slammin' SalmonThe Slammin' Salmon is a 2009 film by Broken Lizard. The film is about the owner of a restaurant initiating a contest to see which of his waiters can earn the most money in a single night, with a prize of $10,000. The loser receives a "beat down" by the owner, Cleon Salmon, a former heavyweight boxer...
(2010) - Nuts / Zongo - The 2 Bobs (2009) - Spam King
- Super Troopers 2 (2011) - Arcot "Thorny" Ramathorn
Television (as guest director)
- Cracking UpCracking UpFor the movie, see Cracking Up .Cracking Up is an American television sitcom created by School of Rock writer Mike White, who also served as the series' head writer. It aired on the Fox Network on Monday nights from March to May 2004. The title of the program and the name of the psychiatrist, Dr...
("Grudge Match" episode) - Arrested Development (four episodes)
- Oliver BeeneOliver BeeneOliver Beene is an American sitcom that premiered on Fox on March 9, 2003. The show was created by Howard Gewirtz. Set in 1962 and 1963, the show chronicled the trials and tribulations of the 11-to-12-year-old Oliver Beene , in first person perspective...
("Kissing Babies" episode) - Andy Richter Controls the UniverseAndy Richter Controls the UniverseAndy Richter Controls the Universe is a sitcom which aired from 2002–2003 on the Fox network. The series was Andy Richter's first starring role after leaving Late Night with Conan O'Brien in 2000....
("Saturday Early Evening Fever" episode) - UndeclaredUndeclaredUndeclared is an American sitcom that aired on Fox during the 2001–02 season.- Premise :The half-hour comedy was Judd Apatow's follow-up to his earlier television series Freaks and Geeks, which also lasted for one season...
(three episodes) - The LoopThe Loop (TV series)The Loop is an American sitcom that ran from March 15, 2006 to July 1, 2007 on Fox. The show starred Bret Harrison as Sam Sullivan, a young professional trying to balance the needs of his social life with the pressures of working at the corporate headquarters of TransAlliance Airways, a major U.S....
(two episodes) - Human GiantHuman GiantHuman Giant is a sketch comedy show on MTV, starring writer/performers Aziz Ansari, Rob Huebel, Paul Scheer and directed primarily by Jason Woliner.The show has completed two seasons. The status of a third season is unknown...
- Lipstick JungleLipstick Jungle (TV series)Lipstick Jungle is an American comedy-drama television series created by DeAnn Heline and Eileen Heisler for NBC Universal Television Studio . The hour-long series was based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Candace Bushnell, who also served as executive producer alongside...
- PsychPsychPsych is an American detective comedy-drama television series created by Steve Franks and broadcast on USA Network. It stars James Roday as Shawn Spencer, a young crime consultant for the Santa Barbara Police Department whose "heightened observational skills" and impressive detective instincts...
(three episodes) - Knight RiderKnight Rider (2008 TV series)Knight Rider was a 2008 series that follows the 1982 TV series of the same title and the 2008 television movie. The series stars Justin Bruening as Mike Traceur, the estranged son of Michael Knight. The series also stars Deanna Russo as Sarah Graiman, Traceur's former girlfriend and love interest....
(2008 TV Series) ("Knight of the Hunter" and "Fly By Knight" episodes) - ChuckChuck (TV series)Chuck is an action-comedy/spy-drama television program from the United States created by Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak. The series is about an "average computer-whiz-next-door" named Chuck, played by Zachary Levi, who receives an encoded e-mail from an old college friend now working for the Central...
(four episodes) - Blue Mountain StateBlue Mountain StateBlue Mountain State is an American comedy series that premiered on Spike on January 11, 2010. The series producers include Chris Romano and Eric Falconer and is produced by Lionsgate Television...
("Marathon Monday" episode) - Royal PainsRoyal PainsRoyal Pains is a USA Network television series that premiered on June 4, 2009, starring Mark Feuerstein, Paulo Costanzo, Jill Flint and Reshma Shetty. The series is based in part on actual concierge medicine practices of independent doctors and companies...
("The Hankover" episode) - CommunityCommunity (TV series)Community is an American television comedy series created by Dan Harmon that airs on NBC. The series is about a group of students at a community college in the fictional locale of Greendale, Colorado. The series heavily uses meta-humor and pop culture references, often parodying film and television...
(episodes: "Mixology Certification", "Intro to Political Science", "Applied Anthropology and Culinary Arts") - Happy EndingsHappy EndingsHappy Endings is a 2005 American film directed by Don Roos and starring Lisa Kudrow, Tom Arnold, Steve Coogan and Maggie Gyllenhaal. The expression "happy ending" is a colloquial term for the practice of a masseuse to offer sexual release to a client....
Television appearances
- Welcome to the ParkerWelcome to the ParkerWelcome to the Parker is an reality television series on Bravo that ran for six episodes about a group of people who run and work at the Parker Palm Springs hotel in Palm Springs, California.-Cast:*Samir Chraibi, hotel manager...
(Episode 1) - Psych' (Episode: "Bollywood Homicide") - Jawaharlal 'Jay' Singh